Nov. 20, 2004
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Giordan Pogioli advanced to the `A' finals of two events during the Minnesota Invitational's Saturday prelims. The junior placed first in the 100 breaststroke with a mark of 56.09 and took fifth in the 100 butterfly with a lifetime best of 50.12.
Pogioli's time in the fly also was a season best for the team, passing the previous standard of 50.63 set by Romain Maire at the Boilermaker Challenge on Nov. 6.
In addition to Pogioli, Purdue also claimed several `A' finalists in the 400 individual medley and 100 backstroke. Mark Wolfred and team co-captain Tony Ten Haagen placed seventh and eighth in the 400 IM, and Louis Paul, Maire and David Hughes took fifth through seventh in the 100 back.
Another team co-captain, Eric Prugh, was seventh in the 200 freestyle. Prugh along with all the other Purdue finalists posted season best times in their respective events.
There were also many close calls for the Boilermakers. Steuart Martens just missed the top eight of the 400 IM with his ninth-place time of 4:09.15. In the 100 fly and back, Purdue had two swimmers finish ninth and 10th.
On the outside looking in for Purdue in the 100 breast were Steve Miskovetz and Chris Lashley. In the 100 fly, Iggy Goh and Jon Ranochak were the ninth and 10th place finishers.
Also competing in Saturday's consolation finals are Joe Colley and Prugh in the 100 back, Mark Enoch and Matt Dugan in the 400 IM, Blake Scholz and Maire in the 100 fly and David Hedge in the 200 free.
Tonight's finals along with men's 1-meter diving and the 200 medley and 800 free relays begin at 6 p.m.
The 17th-ranked Boilermakers are in second place with 269 points, 50 points ahead of the No. 20 Wisconsin Badgers. Sixth-ranked Minnesota is in control of its invite with 414 points.